Alec

by L. A. Casey

  I angrily wiped my cheeks but the tears kept on coming.

  "Stop cryin'," I breathed and covered both of my eyes with my hands.

  He doesn't deserve your tears.

  I wiped my eyes, exhaled a large breath, and pressed on with packing my clothes into my suitcase. Every so often when a tear fell from my eyes I made sure to wipe it away as quick as it fell.

  This was my own fault.

  I knew very well what I was getting into when I asked Alec to come to the wedding, and I was fully aware that dating him for real was a stupid idea. This situation just proved how correct and idiotic I was.

  I mean, we were dating two days before he slipped and dove cock first into another woman's vagina... as well as a man's arse. I shivered in disgust just thinking about Alec with Dante. I wasn't homophobic, I knew I wasn't, seeing him with Everly made me just as sick as him being with Dante.

  "You've only known him a few fuckin' days, what do you expect? You don't know him," I snapped to myself.

  I hated that saying it out loud upset me all over again, because even though it was only a few days of being with him, I thought I knew Alec... or knew enough of him to trust him.

  Either way I was wrong.

  Very wrong.

  I came to the wedding of the lad who fucked me over, only to get fucked over at said wedding by me date, who was meant to make the lad who fucked me over jealous. It blew up in my face, big time.

  Twenty or so minutes passed by when finally I got all of my belongings into my suitcase.

  "Thank God," I muttered.

  I frowned when I heard a knock at the hotel room door.

  I thought Alec said he would give me a few hours to cool off?

  "Go away, Alec! I don't want to speak-"

  "It's not Alec."

  I widened my eyes.

  Uncle Brandon?

  I walked to the door, looked through the peephole and when I saw it was my Uncle Brandon I opened the door.

  "Hey," I said, forcing a smile.

  He smiled back at me. "Hey, sweetheart... Can I come in? I need to talk to you."

  He did?

  "Oh, sure, come in. Sorry about the mess, Alec's things are everywhere."

  Yeah, because you threw them all around the room like a mad woman.

  "Don't worry about it."

  I closed the door after my Uncle Brandon entered the room. I sat on the bed while he sat on the comfy chair in the corner of the room.

  "So, what's up?" I asked and nervously played with my fingers.

  "Why is your suitcase on your bed... and packed from the looks of things?"

  I looked at my suitcase next to me and felt my shoulders slump.

  "I'm going home today."

  I looked at my uncle and expected him to be shocked that I was missing Micah's wedding, or at the very least mad but he wasn't. He looked... understanding.

  "I don't blame you."

  What... I... Just... What?

  "Excuse me?"

  Uncle Brandon smiled. "I said I don't blame you. I'd be on a plane headin' back home right now if I was you."

  What. The. Hell?

  "Uncle... what are you talkin' about?"

  Uncle Brandon frowned. "Everly told me about what happened this mornin'."

  I picked that moment and time to feel humiliated.

  "She did?" I murmured.

  "Yes, and since she didn't have my permission she will be punished for it severely. You have my word on that."

  I widened my eyes to the pointed of pain.

  "Permission?"

  Uncle Brandon sighed. "This is why I wanted that lad to go home before he could cause any damage. The reason I know Alec Slater is because I paid for his time and Dante's time to entertain Everly when I was too busy when we went away on business."

  "What?" I whispered.

  "I'm afraid it's the truth."

  They’ve been together more than once?

  "That's why they acted weird when I introduced them. They already knew each other... very well. I feel sick."

  "I'm sorry honey, like I said before she will be punished for this."

  "She will?"

  "Yes, I will personally see to it that she is very sorry for hurtin' you."

  Wow.

  "What are you goin' to do to her?" I asked.

  Uncle Brandon smiled and it gave me chills.

  "You let me worry about that, sweetheart."

  Oh Christ.

  "You aren't gonna to kill her, are you? I hate the woman but I don't want her to die!"

  Uncle Brandon stared at me for a long moment before he burst into laughter. I sagged back in relief then grabbed a pillow, and threw it at my uncle who caught it.

  "You should have seen your face!"

  I growled. "That's not funny! I know you're into some shady shite, so murder obviously entered me mind."

  My Uncle Brandon tossed my pillow back to me and tilted his head to the side.

  "What do I do for business, Keela?"

  I shrugged my shoulder. "I don't know, but if you're involved with Marco Miles, it can't be good."

  Uncle Brandon looked curious. "Alec told you about Marco?"

  I chewed on my lower lip and shook my head. "Yeah, but he didn't go into a lot of detail. He did tell me the type of 'business' Marco runs and some stuff that the brothers used to do."

  Uncle Brandon sighed. "You will be happy to hear I don't have my foot in any sex rings or weapon cartels."

  That did make me happy, but only a little.

  "And drugs?"

  Uncle Brandon smiled. "I'm involved with them."

  I gasped. "Uncle Brandon, that's against the law! What if you go to prison?"

  My uncle laughed. "Sweetheart, I've been doin' this since before you were born. I'm a powerful man, prison isn't on the cards for me. Trust me on that."

  My uncle was a drug trafficker!

  "Oh my God," I whispered.

  "You understand why I kept you and Micah out of that part of my life, don't you?"

  I nodded my head. "Yes I do, but still... I feel like I don't know you anymore."

  Uncle Brandon frowned and leaned forward on his chair. "I'm still your uncle Keela, and I love you. You're very important to me, like a daughter."

  I felt my eyes well up with tears, so I quickly looked down.

  "I love you, too."

  "And because you're so important you me and in order to keep you out of harm’s way, I want you to do somethin' for me. Okay?"

  I looked up and wiped away the tears that fell from my eyes.

  "What do you want me to do?" I asked.

  Uncle Brandon looked me in the eyes and said, "Stay away from Alec Slater and his brothers, okay?"

  I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "I don't plan on ever speakin' to Alec again, but why do I have to stay away from his brothers? They are nice, a close friend of Aideen's is datin' the eldest brother so I would eventually bump into one of them-"

  "Keela," my uncle cut me off. "You're to stay away from the Slater brothers, do you understand me?"

  What the hell?

  I narrowed my eyes. "What will you do if I don't?"

  Uncle Brandon sat forward and narrowed his eyes before he hissed, "I'll kill them."

  I felt like I was kicked in stomach, because the wind was suddenly knocked out of me.

  "Don't test me Keela, you're to stay away from that family. You're puttin' yourself, and them in danger because if anythin' happens to you I'll kill the lot of them."

  I was going to be sick.

  "I can't believe you're sayin' this right now," I said, then grabbed my stomach as I began to heave.

  "Fuck," Uncle Brandon said when he got up and grabbed me by the arm.

  He got me to my feet and brought me into the bathroom where I puked into the toilet for a solid minute. I was still heaving but nothing was coming up anymore, so I grabbed some tissue and wiped my mouth.

  "Is there anythin' else I should know about this fam
ily? I don't have a secret siblin' who kills people for a livin' do I?"

  Uncle Brandon laughed as he helped me up to my feet. "I'm as criminal as you're goin' to get, sweetie."

  I shook my head. "How could I have not had an inklin' that you were into somethin' so... illegal?"

  Uncle Brandon pushed my hair back out of my face. "Because it was kept from you. I'm not known as Brandon Daley unless it's with family, or other bosses. Everyone else involved in the business knows me as just Brandy."

  I snorted because the pop singer Brandy popped into my head.

  "You find this funny?"

  I laughed. "I find this fuckin' hilarious, I mean me uncle is a gangster."

  Uncle Brandon cringed. "I prefer the term business man."

  I laughed again, hard.

  Uncle Brandon rubbed his head and led me out of the bathroom.

  "You want the next flight home, I presume?"

  I looked up and nodded. "Yeah, I have to get out of here."

  Uncle Brandon nodded then took out his phone, tapped on the screen and put it to his ear. "Afternoon Andrea, I need the next flight out from the Bahamas to Dublin... Three hours? That's perfect. Make it for Keela Daley and put her in business class. Fax the e-ticket to my hotel."

  When Uncle Brandon hung up, he turned to me and smiled. "All set."

  I gaped at him. "Just like that?"

  He nodded. "Just like that."

  I eyed him. "Is Andrea forced to work for you? Is she some kind of prisoner?"

  Uncle Brandon looked at me as amusement twinkled in his grey eyes. "Andrea is just me assistant, Keela."

  I raised my eyebrow. "For your shady business, or your legit business?"

  Uncle Brandon chuckled. "Both."

  Fuck me.

  "I like Andrea! How can someone so sweet, willingly work with a criminal?"

  "Because I'm a nice criminal... and I pay her well."

  Gah!

  "I cannot believe this."

  Uncle Brandon didn't say anything and out of nowhere I started crying.

  "Baby girl."

  "I'm sorry," I wailed, "but me b-boyfriend cheated on me with me auntie and his e-escort partner. Then you tell me you're into some s-shady shite, and Aideen won't answer her p-phone, and I really m-miss Storm. This is the worst day in me entire l-life."

  My uncle remained silent and I couldn't stop talking.

  "Why did he do this to m-me? What did I do wrong?"

  I picked up a dirty t-shirt and wiped my running nose.

  "I thought he cared a-about me."

  I cried so hard then that I almost made myself sick again and this really upset my uncle.

  "Sweetheart, please."

  I felt his arms come around me and I quickly wrapped mine around him and cried into his chest.

  "I'm goin' to make this better, I swear it."

  I shook my head. "Don't hurt him, please."

  My uncle sighed but I felt him nod his head.

  "I have to leave, I need to go home."

  My uncle kissed my head then stood up. "Okay, I'll help get your things downstairs."

  I nodded my head as he grabbed my suitcase and heaved it off the bed. I stood up and grabbed my side bag making sure I had my passport, money, and my phone. I looked around the room and all that was left were Alec's things, mine were packed away.

  I grabbed a pen and note pad that the hotel provided and scrawled a message on it for Alec to read.

  I don't know why you did this to me, but I hate you for it. Stay away from me.

  I put the note pad on his pillow then glanced around the room once more before I sucked it up and left the room. My uncle was outside waiting for me and we went down to the lobby in silence. He picked up my e-ticket at the front desk while I waited outside for him. He sighed when he got me settled into a taxi outside the hotel.

  "I would say tell Micah I'm sorry about missin' her weddin', but I can't stand Jason."

  My uncle chuckled. "He is about to be me son-in-law, how do you think I feel?"

  I lightly chuckled.

  "I'll see you durin' the week when I'm home, okay?"

  I nodded my head. "Okay."

  "Call me if you need me."

  I smiled. "I will, bye."

  "Bye, baby girl."

  I silently cried all the way to the airport and I had a face like a slapped arse through check in then through security. I felt like everything was happening around me at super speed while I waited in the waiting area of the airport for my gate number for my flight. I didn't realise I was tired, but I dozed off and awoke when a female voice announced my flight was now boarding.

  Fuck!

  I quickly grabbed my bag and joined the queue for my flight. I was dying to get home as I was settled on the plane, I managed to calm myself knowing it wouldn't be long before I got there and I could see my Storm.

  "Keela?"

  I ignored the saddened expression on Aideen's face as she opened my hall door to me.

  "Hi," I murmured.

  She stared at me.

  "How was your flight?"

  I shrugged out of my cardigan. "Long."

  Aideen swallowed. "Are you hungry?"

  I shook my head.

  Aideen chew on her lower lip. "Thirsty?"

  I shook my head.

  She swallowed. "Your uncle rang me... he told me what happened. Alec rang too-"

  I held my hand up cutting Aideen off.

  "Don't mention him or even say his name."

  Aideen nodded her head. "Okay, babe."

  I walked passed the kitchen and stopped when I looked into the sitting room. I was only mildly surprised to see the Slater brothers and both of the Murphy sisters staring back at me.

  I looked back at Aideen.

  "Make them leave."

  Aideen's face dropped. "They are here to see if you're okay-"

  "I am okay, I'm perfectly okay. Tell them to leave."

  Aideen stepped forward to me. "Keela."

  I took a step back. "Where is Storm?"

  Aideen rubbed her neck. "I had to bring him to the kennel for the day. Just so we could figure this out with him out of the way."

  I was livid, Storm was the one being I looked forward to seeing!

  "Which kennel? I'm goin' to get him."

  "Keela, stop it. Storm is okay, we can get him later. Let's just talk-"

  "You want to talk now? I wanted to talk fourteen hours ago when I called you a million times after their," I pointed at the brothers, "scumbag of a brother fucked Everly and some other scumbag in me bed. I don't want to talk anymore. I want Storm."

  "Kay, I'm so sorry. I left me phone here when I was out with Kane."

  "You were with one of them?" I growled. "Bit of advice honey, they are not the nice people you think they are. Trust me."

  "Hey, that's bang out of order Keela. The brothers didn't make Alec cheat on you."

  I snapped my head in Bronagh Murphy's direction and snarled, "Say one more word, I fuckin' dare you. Unlike your sister or Nico, I will knock you fuckin' out."

  Dominic stood up and put his arm around Bronagh, which made me laugh.

  "I wonder if she will let you touch her once she finds out who was in the Bahamas with me and Alec."

  All the brothers stood up then.

  "Keela, you're angry, do not say anything out of anger."

  "I'm not angry Ryder, I'm enraged. I'm disgusted that your filthy brother used me and humiliated me in such a way. I guess you can't help it, workin' with Marco made you all stone fuckin' cold. I actually think he is kinder than you all."

  Bronagh stared at me for a long moment then said, "What did you just say?"

  I shrugged.

  Bronagh pushed away from Dominic and came right up to me.

  "What did you just say?"

  I raised an eyebrow. "Am I supposed to feel threatened by you?"

  Bronagh's gaze never wavered. "Keela, please... you said the name Marco."

  I frowned.
/>
  Her tone wasn't one of anger it was one of desperation.

  "Alec told me all about what happened in his past, his brother's past and what happened in Darkness three years ago. Only I was told the truth, where as you were lied to. Marco isn't dead, he is alive and well."

  Bronagh's eyes glazed over.

  "No," she swallowed. "He is dead."

  I shook my head. "I've spoken to him. He is alive."

  Bronagh looked me in the eye and gasped.

  She saw the truth in my eyes.

  "I don't understand."

  I heard a whimper. "You lied to me!"

  "Branna, please-"

  "Don't touch me!"

  Bronagh held her hand up then when Dominic approached her.

  "Don't."

  "Baby-"

  "Don't, Dominic. Please."

  I shook my head and looked at Kane who looked like shite and found he was staring at me.

  "You're all liars."

  Kane frowned. "We lied to save the girls from losing their minds with worry, Keela."

  "They are both losin' their minds to worry and also dealin' with the knowledge that their boyfriends lied to them about somethin' so important."

  "You could have let us tell them!" Nico bellowed in my direction.

  I snarled, "You had two and a half fuckin' years to do that and you didn't, so fuck you!"

  Nico glared at me as the atmosphere in the room shifted.

  I looked at Aideen and gestured to the brothers.

  "The truth makes bullshitters uncomfortable."

  Nico shook his head then turned his attention to Bronagh.

  "Don't hate me."

  Bronagh began crying. "I don't hate you, but how could you keep this from me? How you could you lie about this?"

  Nico was either at a loss for words or just didn't want to talk with an audience.

  "Let’s go home, I'll tell your everything about that night... I promise."

  Bronagh nodded her head and walked by me with her eyes downcast. Nico walked by me too, but he paused for a moment and looked down at me, his jaw set.

  "Alec cares about you."

  I humourlessly laughed. "Is that why he cheated on me?"

  Nico glared. "He had no choice."

  What the fuck?

  "Of course he had a choice, there is always a choice."

  Nico shook his head. "Not this time."

  What the fuck did that mean?

  Nico left with Bronagh and was soon followed by a crying Branna and a distraught Ryder.